


Cutting Through the Red Tape

by stellarmeadow



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-05
Updated: 2011-03-05
Packaged: 2017-10-16 02:45:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/167580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarmeadow/pseuds/stellarmeadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stan calls Steve about a red tape problem he's been having.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cutting Through the Red Tape

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this came from, but once I got it in my head it wouldn't go away until I wrote it. Total fluff is just the thing for a Friday night, right?

Steve all but jumped at the chance to answer his phone, shoving away his paperwork with relief. "McGarrett," he said, feeling the obligatory guilt at hoping it was a nice, long case.  One that Danny could finish the paperwork on another time.

"Lieutenant Commander McGarrett," the voice said, and even before the caller identified himself, Steve had guessed correctly, "this is Stan Edwards."

"Uh...hello." Steve raised up just enough to see Danny sitting at his desk, doing the paperwork for the last three cases that had had him yelling, _No, Steven, I will absolutely not do this one because I have to finish the others. This one is on you, my friend, and I look forward to seeing you explain the large sheered metal spot where my car was previously in one piece._ But the important thing was that he was sitting there. This wasn't likely to be about him, at least not in the immediate sense. "What can I do for you, Mr. Edwards?"

"Please, call me Stan."

He'd never had much patience for the smooth, polished, 'first names mean nothing' attitude in Washington, which was why his superiors had been only too happy to use his better skills far from politicians. But this was Grace's step-father. "What can I do for you, Stan?"

"Well, it's a bit awkward...perhaps we could meet for a drink?"

"I'm a little tied up right now. Unless there's some sort of problem that can't be handled by phone, maybe you could just tell me why you called?"

He'd never had much patience for the 'you're not doing it right' sigh that generally followed his lack of playing along with political bullshit, either. "I'm attempting to get a hotel built, Steve," and Steve bit back the reminder that he was a Lieutenant Commander, and Steve only to his friends. "It's not like building a house. It requires a great deal of government cooperation and signatures and licenses...it's a nightmare of bureaucracy."

"Given the amount of paperwork on my desk and how long it takes me to finish it, I fail to see how I can help you."

"Well, the bureaucracy seems to have increased in the last couple of months. It's slowed the process almost to a halt."

"I work in law  enforcement," Steve said. "If you're looking for information on building permit bureaucracy, I think you're in the wrong department."

The smooth, polished half-laugh designed to ease through an  awkward situation had also never sat well with him. "I spoke with someone in the correct department yesterday," he said. "Based on their response, and a rather candid clue from my wife, I thought perhaps a call to you might help things along."

Steve frowned so hard his eyes hurt. "I'm really not following you at all."

"I thought you might not. Rachel did suggest she should call, but I thought this was best handled between us. Man to man."

He'd really, really prefer a serious man-to-man, gloves off, fists only confrontation with this guy right about now. "What is it, exactly, you're trying to say, Stan?"

"It's been suggested that perhaps you might be slowing down my process out of concern--strictly on Grace's behalf, of course--that I might be finished here too quickly and uproot her again as soon as the hotel is underway."

Oh. "I, uh...well...it might have crossed my mind that she's happy here," he said, his neck suddenly hot.  

"I am well aware of how happy my step-daughter is," he said, sounding a little more proprietary than Steve was comfortable with about Danny's daughter. "I'm aware that Hawaii suits a lot of people. In fact, my parents are planning to move here next year to be closer to us, as we intend to make this our home for some time to come."

Steve let out a long breath. "Oh. I hadn't realized your plans here were so...permanent."

"Rachel thought as much. She thought if I assured you that we weren't leaving perhaps you could do something to untie some of the red tape that seems to have gotten a bit knotted."

"I suppose I could put in a good word with the Governor next time I see her," Steve said, clearing his throat. "You're really that invested in staying in Hawaii?"

"I've always wanted to live here. We're happy here. Grace loves it, and her father is here. Why wouldn't we stay?"

Because you're a shmuck, Steve thought, but given that said shmuck was implicitly letting him know that he wasn't about to force Danny to move again anytime soon, he could cut him a break. "I wouldn't know why anyone would want to leave Hawaii," he said.

"Excellent. I'm glad we had this talk, Steve. We really should have drinks sometime."

"Right. Definitely."

"Have a nice evening."

He heard the click, but it was a few seconds before he realized it meant Edwards was gone and he could hang up. He put the phone down, looking across to Danny's window where he sat, oblivious to the fact that Steve had just heard Danny's fate sealed for at least the next ten years.  

Then again, his fate had more or less been sealed the moment he'd walked into Steve's garage.

Steve smiled and made a mental note to call the Governor tomorrow and tell her she might not lose her task force after all if Stan Edwards finished his hotel. He grabbed his keys on his way out his door and to Danny's. "Hey. Paperwork will still be there in the morning. Drinks are on me--and yes, I have my wallet."

Danny leaned back in his chair, smiling. "To what do I owe this amazing honor?"

Steve shrugged, half-grinning. "I feel like celebrating."

After a long look, Danny shook his head and got up, grabbing his keys and loosening his tie. "You're insane, you know that?" he said as he joined Steve at the door.  

"So you keep telling me, Danno," he said, following Danny out to the car. "Maybe if you're here long enough, it'll sink in."

He didn't listen to the rant that followed, just let it wash over him. After all, he had time to deal with whatever Danny was upset about. He had all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Want to learn more about me and my writing? Visit my page at <http://www.jamiemeadowswrites.com/>


End file.
